Betting on Texas (6 page)

“That’s all it will take.” Jesse hopped up to sit on the top
rail of the fence.

“You’re really serious?” Miranda shielded her eyes from the
sun. “What are we betting?”

“The ranch.”

“What?” Miranda looked skyward as she shook her head. “What do
you mean ‘the ranch’?”

“If you last the month, I’ll leave and you’ll never be bothered
by me again. If I win, you sell me the ranch for what I originally bid on it.
What do you say? You game or don’t you think you can handle it?”

Miranda narrowed her eyes. So this was his plan. He still
wanted the ranch for himself. Well, one month would be easy enough. And it would
teach him a lesson not to underestimate her.

“You’re on.”

“And before you think you have this all figured out, there are
a few ground rules.” Jesse swung his legs over the fence and jumped into the
corral.

“What kind of ‘ground rules’?” Miranda mocked the last two
words.

“You can’t sell off any livestock. And you have to work like
every other rancher in these parts.”

Miranda opened her mouth to protest.

“And before you say the animals are too expensive, you can keep
my share of the money I’ll be getting tomorrow when I deliver these two
horses.”

Jesse attached a lead rope to one of the horses and led him to
the gate.

“What do you mean, ‘deliver these two horses’? Those are my
horses.”

“Not all of them. These two are Blueford’s. I’ve been training
them for a while now and tomorrow they go home.”

There was no way she could lose. She bought the ranch to live
on, after all. Okay, so, there were a few animals to take care of. Two horses
were already leaving. This would be easy.

So what was the catch? “I’ve got news for you, cowboy. I’m not
going anywhere.” Miranda held out her hand. “You have yourself a deal.”

Jesse led the horse through the gate and closed out any space
between her and the rest of the world. He took her hand in his and shook it
firmly. The heat of his hand caused her to try to pull away.

“This is a working ranch, Miranda.” Jesse ignored her attempt
to break free. “It may not look like much, but there is a viable business
here.”

“Face facts, Jesse. You aren’t staying long and I can’t manage
this place by myself. Once your little bet is over, the livestock goes.”

“This is a ranch—those animals belong here.” Jesse released her
hand and led the horse toward the stables. “If you win, and you won’t, but if
you did, you could at least hire a foreman.”

“With what money? You seem to think I am rolling in it.”

“You’re rolling in something.” Jesse smirked.

Miranda ignored the comment and continued.

“What makes you so certain I’m loaded?” Miranda placed her
hands on her hips and tapped an impatient foot.

“Look at you! All decked out in your fancy clothes. Those sure
didn’t come off the rack at Walmart.”

“You’re right. They came from Neiman Marcus.”

“And you say you’re not rich.” Jesse dismissed her with the
wave of his hand and sauntered toward the stables. “I bet you don’t even know
the meaning of an honest day’s pay.”

“You just lost your first bet,” Miranda yelled to his back. “I
was a sales associate.”

“A sales associate?” Jesse stood where he was and stared
blankly at Miranda.

“That’s right, Jesse. Just about all the clothes I own are
sales items which I never would have been able to afford if it wasn’t for my
employee discount.”

“You mean you worked?” Jesse’s tone softened.

“Of course I worked. I plan to work again once I get this place
in order. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, despite what you
think.”

“And the truck and the boots?”

“All things I bought to fit in better around here. Only it
seems to have the opposite effect when it comes to you.”

“A sales girl at the mall doesn’t make that kind of money.
There’s more to it than that.”

Miranda opened her mouth to tell him about the lottery when the
full force of his words hit her.

“I was a bit more than a sales girl at the mall, and even if I
wasn’t, what is so wrong with being a sales girl, Mr. Earn an Honest
Living?”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You’ve said enough to last a lifetime.” Miranda marched toward
the main house. “My money is none of your concern.”

“I leave with the horses first thing in the morning,” Jesse
called after her. Now he was the one trying to keep up with her.

“Where is this Blueford?” Miranda asked from the top step of
the porch.

“Albany.”

“Albany, New York?” Talk about one heck of a drive trailering
two horses.

“Albany, Texas. About a four-and-half-hour drive north of
here.”

“Oh.” Miranda felt so ignorant about the state.
Where can I buy
Texas for Dummies
or at least a bigger map?
“When do we leave?”

“We? What’s this ‘we’?”

Miranda cocked an eyebrow as she folded her arms in front of
her.

“You certainly don’t think I’m letting you out of my sight, now
do you? I don’t trust you. Not with the ranch on the line.”

“Whatever.” Jesse rolled his eyes. “You want to come, fine.
Stay out of my way, though. We’ll head out tomorrow.”

“What time?”

“Sunup. If you’re not out here by then, I’m leaving without
you.”

Chapter Five

“Damn roosters!” Miranda sat upright in her sleeping
bag.
Who needs an alarm clock with those blasted things
around?

Still unable to reach Jonathan, she’d sent him an email last
night demanding answers and outlining the events of the past few days. She knew
it was too early for him to have read it yet, but she checked anyway. No new
messages.

She jumped in the shower, threw on some clothes and headed out
the door. Her body ached from sleeping on the floor for the second night in a
row. She kicked herself for being too lazy to drag a cot in from the bunkhouse.
As soon as they got back, she would buy a mattress.

Famous last words, Miranda. It’s been
three days now.

“Sleep well?”

Jesse snuck up behind her as she left a note on the back door
for Mable. His mischievous grin told her he knew she was sore. There was no way
she would give him the satisfaction of winning this round.

“Like a baby,” Miranda replied, smiling. “I didn’t even need a
cot from the bunkhouse.”

The speed in which Jesse’s smile faded when he realized she
knew about the extra beds amazed even her.

“I’m telling Mable.” She waggled a finger at him as she walked
around the trailer, already hitched to Jesse’s truck. The horses were tied to
the side.

“What are their names?”

“The chestnut is Charisma and the paint is Hawkeye.” Jesse
reached inside the trailer and grabbed an armful of nylon and fleece braces.

“These are shipping boots. They protect their legs during
transport,” he said as he fastened the black boots around their lower legs.
“Think you can manage to untie Charisma?”

As Miranda moved to the left side of the horse, he jolted and
swayed sideways, almost crushing her against the side of the trailer.

“Charisma’s not fond of trailer rides,” Jesse said as he
soothed the animal. “He’s a little skittish. At least you approached him from
the left. You’re learning.”

Learning? He almost flattened
me!

Charisma pulled against his harness and tie-downs then kicked
backward with both legs. Jesse quickly snatched Miranda out of harm’s way.

“Why, Jesse, I didn’t know you cared,” Miranda said as she held
on to him.

“Believe me, I don’t.” Jesse released her as if disgusted with
himself. “It’s the load we’re hauling I care about. Not you.”

Jesse’s words bit into her heart. No matter what she did or
said, he insulted her in some way. It wasn’t the most ideal of situations, but
couldn’t he at least give her credit for trying?

“I hate you!” The only words she could think of flew out of her
mouth before she had a chance to stop them. Not very mature.

“You hate me, huh? Want to trailer these horses alone?” Jesse
mocked.

“I could if I wanted to. I am so tired of your insults. I did
nothing to you. Nothing that was my fault anyway. You have a mean streak a
country mile wide and a chip on your shoulder the size of Texas.”

“Wowee, girl. You sure sound like a Texan. But make no bones
about it, you ain’t Texan. You never will be.”

“That’s it! Get off my ranch!” She didn’t know how or where the
words came from, but she’d had enough. She met every challenge and she deserved
respect.

“We’ll see how well you do without me.” Jesse stormed off to
the foreman’s house, leaving her alone with the horses.

I can do this myself. I don’t need him. I
don’t need anyone.

Miranda caught a glimpse of Jesse as he watched her from the
window. Her hands trembled. She slowly began to unfasten Hawkeye’s tie-downs.
The horse jerked back for a brief moment and then followed her in the trailer.
Inside, Miranda attempted to retie the horse the same way Jesse had. Frustrated,
she yanked the tie harder than she should have, spooking the horse. Hawkeye
attempted to rear. The trailer violently shifted. Miranda grabbed hold of
Hawkeye’s halter to steady herself. Alarmed further, the horse broke free from
her grasp and knocked her to the trailer floor.

“Miranda!” Jesse pulled her to safety. “Never do that again!
You’ll end up killing yourself with the way you handle these horses.”

Miranda ran out of the trailer while Jesse settled the horse.
He loaded Charisma while she waited in the truck, shaken and scared. She thought
it would be like putting a dog in a kennel. Even though the horse was twenty
times the size.

Jesse opened the door to the truck and climbed in the driver’s
seat.

“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to—”

Throwing herself into his arms, clinging to him for dear life,
Miranda knew he was the enemy and she shouldn’t need him. But for the moment,
all that mattered was the safety of his embrace.

Surprisingly, it felt like the most natural thing in the
world.

* * *

“S
HH
. I
T
’
S
OKAY
. E
VERYTHING
’
S
okay.”

Jesse enjoyed the feel of her against him. The way she fit
perfectly in his arms. He didn’t mean to yell at her the way he did. When
Hawkeye had almost crushed her, every ounce of his soul screamed to protect her.
She moved closer and Jesse fought the tremendous urge to lift her face to his
and kiss away her fears.

Miranda released herself from him. Color rose high in her
cheeks.

“I’m sorry.” She hid her embarrassment by looking out the side
window.

“So am I.”

In more than one way.

Miranda continued to stare out the window without so much as a
word. Since no major highway ran from Ramblewood to Albany, they took the back
roads through the Hill Country. Unsure of how to ease the tension, Jesse pointed
out numerous local points of interest he thought would appeal to her in each
town. Miranda was childlike in her enthusiasm over different landmarks they
passed.

“What do FM and RM mean on the road signs?”

Jesse laughed. He never paid much attention to it before. It
was second nature to him.

“Farm-to-Market and Ranch-to-Market,” Jesse said, all too
willing to give her a little lesson in Texas 101. “FM roads provide access to
the rural parts of the state. You’ll see RM roads when the number of ranches
outnumbers farms. It goes back to old days where farmers and ranchers brought
their crops and stock to market.”

“That’s neat,” Miranda said.

Over the course of the next few hours, Miranda showered him
with questions about the history of Texas. He had to admit, he loved every
minute of it. She seemed genuinely eager to learn all he had to teach her. He
couldn’t help but admire her enthusiasm but he had to keep reminding himself
this wasn’t a date. She was the biggest adversary he ever had. The ranch swung
in the balance.

They stopped for breakfast at a small roadside
hole-in-the-wall. This time, Miranda ordered pancakes and sausage without any
prodding from him. If the look on her face was any indication, she enjoyed every
mouthful.

“Tell me more about this guy we’re going to see.”

“Blueford is an old friend,” Jesse said as he took the last
bite of his biscuit and gravy. “He owns the largest ranch in Shackleford County.
I’ve trained every cutting horse he owns.”

“Impressive.” Miranda leaned forward. “How long does it take to
train a horse?”

“Depends. Some take longer than others do. On average, eighteen
months. You can only train a horse for a couple of hours a day. I like to start
them when they’re two and a half or three years old.”

Jesse explained how training began on each horse. He was taken
aback by Miranda’s interest in his work. He didn’t get much of an opportunity to
share his passion, outside of his family. With the exception of Cole, ever since
he turned down his father’s last offer to join his brothers at Bridle Dance, he
didn’t see much of them on a social basis. Truth be told, he felt a little
lonesome.

His father was as willful as he was. They both knew it and even
acknowledged it on occasion, but it didn’t mean either one of them would back
down. Joe Langtry wanted Jesse to run the Bridle Dance Ranch alongside his
brothers. He envisioned all his sons raising their families on the ranch. Now
that the four Langtry boys were getting older, Joe latched on to that idea even
more.

Miranda continued her Texas inquisition throughout most of
their trip, not leaving much room for him to find out much about her, other than
her desire to learn about the Lone Star State. Questions came from all
directions on every subject. Her passion and excitement allowed him to see
everything fresh and new.

Drive Carefully—Stop Wildlife Squish in Albany

The sign appeared out of nowhere. Jesse held his amusement in
check until Miranda burst out laughing. Tears ran down her cheeks causing Jesse
to lose control himself. Afraid he would drive the truck off the road, he pulled
into the Dairy Queen parking lot.

“Wildlife squish!” Miranda wiped at her eyes. “Oh, my sides
hurt. I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t very funny, but it came as such a
surprise.”

Jesse rested his arm across the back of the bench seat and
gently pushed a strand of hair away from her face. It had been a long time since
he last had some humor in his life. Enjoyment was something he’d long since
forgotten. Now he owed his newfound sense of it all to Miranda. The one person
he should despise more than anyone else on this planet.

She looked at him with such an openness and honesty, he didn’t
understand how he could be so cruel to her. From the second he first laid eyes
on the woman beside him, she captured a piece of his heart he was certain he’d
lost forever. Once he realized his vision of beauty was the new owner, all bets
were off. Miranda took from him the one thing he wanted most in this world. The
chance for a life and a family, on the land that meant everything to him.

Afraid he might lose himself in a moment of weakness, Jesse
proceeded through Albany’s business district and into its tidy town square. They
stopped at Albany’s only traffic light where Miranda gasped at the impressive
courthouse before her. Its limestone grandeur had astounded visitors for over a
century. The sculpture garden in front of the art museum was equally as
impressive, but Jesse didn’t want to waste time sightseeing. The sky had an
ominous look to it. He wanted to get the horses delivered to Blueford and be on
their way before they had to contend with a Texas monsoon.

“There must be a million cattle out there! This place is
incredible.”

Through Miranda’s eyes, Jesse truly saw Four Oaks Ranch for the
first time. Each ranch had always been just another potential customer. He took
its simple beauty for granted until he witnessed her amazement. As they watched
the swell of brown-and-white Hereford in the distance, he realized every rancher
probably had the same hopes and dreams he did.

“You see out there?” Jesse pointed to a couple of men on
horseback. “Those are cutting horses. They can anticipate the cattle’s next move
before the rider does. Those dogs are Australian cattle dogs, same as Max. In
fact, Max is one of Blueford’s pups.”

Together as one, both man and beast danced across the land.
Every step was precise yet graceful. Each horse led its rider through a perilous
maze, where one false move could trigger a lethal stampede in an instant. The
dogs yipped and nipped as they rounded up the stragglers left behind.

“You trained those horses?” Miranda said, unable to take her
eyes off the group of riders.

“Sure did. That’s Jitterbug, closest to us. Toughest darn horse
to train, but worth every minute of it. He turned out to be the best one yet,
outside of General Lee.”

Above all else, Jesse took pride in his work. He wasn’t shy
about showing it, not even to her. As proud as he was, his years at Double
Trouble had ended. It was time to move on. It was a shame, too. Eight horses
remained in the stables and he was in the process of training seven of them. Now
he’ll have to start over in Abilene. Something he didn’t look forward to. Unless
he could convince Miranda to change her mind and sell him the ranch. Deep down,
he knew that wouldn’t happen anytime soon. She dug her nails in deeper and held
on tighter every day.

They reached the stable area as Blueford stepped down from a
sleek black gelding. He was a man of distinction in his Stetson and leather
chaps. Gray temples in sharp contrast to his blue-black hair gave him a certain
air of sophistication. The men shook hands and exchanged a pat on the back
hug.

“And who do we have here?” Blueford tipped his hat toward
Miranda.

“Miranda Archer. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Blueford Thomas, ma’am.” He took her hand in his. “Jesse, my
boy, you sure know how to pick ’em.”

“I didn’t pick her. I got saddled with her for the time being.”
Miranda crinkled up her nose at his statement. “She’s the new owner of Double
Trouble.”

“Is that so?” Blueford stepped back as if to size up her
abilities to maintain a ranch. “Where are you from, pretty lady?”

“Washington, D.C., Mr. Thomas. And before you ask, no, I don’t
have any ranch experience. I just have a little more than I bargained for.”

“Please, call me Blue.” He laughed. “Honey, anyone involved
with this fella here always gets more than they bargain for. He’s a handful, but
damn good with a horse.”

“We’re not involved,” Jesse interjected as he walked around the
trailer and began to unload the horses.

“Give him time,” Blueford whispered to Miranda. “He’ll come
around.”

“Oh, I don’t think—”

“Blue, you want to give me a hand here?” Jesse cut her off
before she said something she would probably regret.

Blueford whistled for one of his men to join him. They saddled
the horses and rode out to a round pen. Effortless in their movements, they
twisted and turned, moving each head of cattle through a chute and into a
smaller corral.